Na Piarsaigh GAA
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Na Piarsaigh | |||||||||
Founded: | 1943 | ||||||||
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County: | Cork | ||||||||
Nickname: | The Wazzies. | ||||||||
Colours: | Black and amber | ||||||||
Grounds: | Páirc Uí Chonaire | ||||||||
Coordinates: | 51°55′08.41″N 8°29′45.39″W / 51.9190028°N 8.4959417°W | ||||||||
Playing kits | |||||||||
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Senior Club Championships | |||||||||
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Na Piarsaigh are a
History
Formation
In 1943 a group of idealistic young men drawn mostly from the hurling nursery of North Mon laid the foundations of Cumann Iomana & Peile Na Piarsaigh.[citation needed]
The group had its first formal meeting in the presbytery of the North Cathedral. The young men called upon one of their teachers, Donnacha Ó Murchú, for guidance and assistance. This led to him becoming the first Uachtarán [president] of the club, with Derry Terry serving as Runaí [secretary] and Paddy Sutton as Cisteoir [treasurer].
In choosing a name for the club the members sought one which would reflect their aims and ideals.
A set of playing-gear colours (black and amber) was acquired. Later in 1951 the symbolic
The newly formed club, as part of its policy, decided to conduct its affairs as far as possible through the medium of Irish. Indeed, the policy extended to the field of play where the players addressed one another in the native tongue. So novel was this approach to GAA affairs that it led to a certain amount of resentment amongst other clubs. The national outlook was then in such a state during what is termed the "Emergency" [the Second World War] that any willingness to promote Irish language culture generally met with strong opposition. The opposition to club activities by the local clergy, in fact, caused Na Piarsaigh to lose the use of St. Mary's Hall.
In relation to this the then Uactarán, Donnacha Ó Murchú. recalled the words of a prominent local clergyman of the day, "We don't want any of that oul' stuff going on here". This, however, did not unduly upset the youthful members who strove all the more to achieve their aims and ideals. By 1946 the membership had grown from thirty to seventy, but as yet the club had failed to win a title in either hurling or football. However, in the same year the City Division Junior Hurling Championship was won, no mean achievement in three years of existence. During this period also, minor teams were fielded but without much success. Training for matches was a problem without a club ground. Training took place in such diverse locations as the Lee Fields, Rivers Town, the Fair Field, and Brown's Field, which was located near the present-day Church of the Ascension in Gurranabraher. [1]
Acquisition of club grounds
As the club grew and expanded in the late 1940s, the need for a playing field was keenly felt and expressed by the then Secretary Donncha O Griofa in his annual report of 1951 when he wrote: "The lack of a playing field of our own is greatly impeding the advancement of our teams. As members are unable to get sufficient training for matches, they ultimately wander to other codes".
This appeal by the Secretary was to bear fruit six years later when after hard years of fund-raising the club purchased a field at The Commons, Fair Hill. In this eventful year of 1951 the need for a properly organised minor section was strongly mooted. Again, Donncha O Griofa, in his address, referred to this when he wrote: "Films and books cannot teach the game. Give young boys hurleys and footballs and they will do the rest. Encourage them to think they are the coming champions. The success of our club must ultimately rest in the generation to follow".
Sporting success
In 1946 the Club won its first title at Junior level, annexing the City title. However this group of dedicated workers and followers had to wait until 1953 to achieve their finest hour, when the
Three
In football success at
However it was to be the 1970s in which much of the groundwork for today's success at
Noted players
- Daire Connery
- Mick Ellard
- John Gardiner
- Christopher Joyce
- Rónán McGregor
- Mark Mullins
- Aisake Ó hAilpín
- Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
- Setanta Ó hAilpín
- Teu Ó hAilpín
- Tony O'Sullivan
- Roger Tuohy
Honours
- )
- Cork Senior Hurling Leagues: 5 (1978, 1988, 1992, 1997, 2013[2])
- Cork Intermediate Football Championship: 1 (1966) Runners-up 2014[3]
- Cork Junior Hurling Championship: 1 (1953)
- Cork City Junior Hurling Championship6 (1946, 1953, 1979, 1989, 1995, 1997)
- Cork City Junior Football Championship4 (1964, 1965, 1974, 2005)
- Cork Junior Football Championship: 1 (1965)
- Cork Under-21 Hurling Championships: 3 (1980, 1981, 1987)
- Cork Minor Hurling Championships: 11 (1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1995, 1996, 2016)
- Cork Minor Football Championships 3 (1981, 1994, 1995)
- Féile na nGael 7 (1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1991, 2006, 2017)
Individual Players honours
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Winners:
- Donal 'Fox' Sheehan: 1 (1966)
- Tony O'Sullivan: 3 (1984, 1986, 1990)
- Seán Óg Ó hAilpín: 3 (1999, 2004, 2005)
- John Gardiner: 2 (2004, 2005)
- Tony O'Sullivan: 5 (1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992)
- Seán Óg Ó hAilpín: 3 (2003, 2004, 2005)
- Setanta Ó hAilpín: 1 (2003)
- John Gardiner: 1 (2005)
Tony O'Sullivan is among an elite group of Cork players who hold five All Star Awards. Tony, along with his former Cork team mates John Fenton and Jimmy Barry-Murphy hold the distinction of heading the roll of honour as the most decorated Cork All Stars.
- Seán Óg Ó hAilpín: 1 (2004)
- John Gardiner: 1 (2005)
- Setanta Ó hAilpín: 1 (2003)
References
- ^ NaPiarsaigh.com/history
- ^ "Battling Piarsaigh bounce back". Irish Examiner. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
- ^ "Valiant Valleys stick to their guns". Irish Examiner. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.